Five alumni up for Mike Richter Award

March 6, 2014

Connor Hellebuyck is one of five NAHL goaltender alums up for Mike Richter Award.

Let’s Play Hockey and the Herb Brooks Foundation announced Thursday the creation of the Mike Richter Award, an annual honor that will be given to the most outstanding goaltender in NCAA men’s Division I hockey.

This week, 18 nominees were announced for the inaugural Mike Richter Award, given to the most outstanding goaltender in Division I men’s hockey. Five of the 18 nominees are graduates of the North American Hockey League.

The nominees with NAHL experience who were chosen by the 59 head coaches are:

The inaugural award will be presented during the 2014 Frozen Four in Philadelphia, PA

Candidates for the award will be determined by a vote of all 59 NCAA Division I men’s head coaches. The finalists and winner will then be selected by a selection committee of coaches, scouts and members of the media.

Criteria for the Mike Richter Award:

•Candidates must display outstanding skills on the ice

•Candidates should be in good academic standing at an NCAA college or university

•Consideration should be given to academic achievement and sportsmanship

•Candidates must comply with all NCAA rules, be full-time students at an NCAA college or university and complete 50 percent or more of the season

•Consideration should be given to the candidate’s activities in the community

Richter played two years at Wisconsin form 1985-87 and won a Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.

“I am incredibly honored to have this award named after me considering all of the many talented goalies that have played college hockey over the years,” Richter said in a statement. “My time as a student-athlete at Madison was deeply rewarding, both personally and professionally, and I am thrilled to be able to share in this tradition with the current generation of athletes by having my name associated with an award that will specifically honor the goaltending position.”